One week after the Baltimore Ravens’ revamped offensive line turned in their best performance of the season, they’re in a position of flux heading into Sunday.
Two of the Ravens’ (1-2) five starting offensive linemen are on the injury report ahead of their Week 4 matchup against the undefeated Buffalo Bills (3-0) on Sunday Night Football at M&T Bank Stadium. Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum is questionable with a neck injury, while left guard Andrew Vorhees has a more grim outlook, being listed as doubtful due to an ankle injury that left him unable to practice throughout the week.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh spoke about the status of Vorhees and said a decision on the starting left guard may come down to the final minute.
“It’s going to be right up until gametime,” Harbaugh told reporters on Friday. “That’s what I was told, and we’ll see.”
Players have rarely gone on to play after being listed as doubtful on the final injury report leading into the game. According to Footballguys, 94.1 percent of players listed as doubtful between 2017 and 2023 ended up not playing.
How the Ravens shuffle the offensive line if Vorhees is potentially out will be a huge question mark. Right tackle Patrick Mekari has started all along the offensive line in his career, so him moving to left guard and rookie Roger Rosengarten stepping in at right tackle could be an option. The Ravens could also just plug versatile interior offensive lineman Ben Cleveland in at left guard to keep the rest of the unit intact.
In Linderbaum is out, Cleveland took reps with the starting lineup at center throughout training camp while the Ravens’ Pro Bowl center nursed a neck injury that forced him to miss multiple weeks.
Regardless of what happens with the Ravens offensive line, they’ll have their work cut out for them against a Bills defense that’s tied for fifth in the league with 11 sacks this season.